I looked at the end of my bed, a clipboard hung from a rail that was attached to the end.

I heard the beeping again, and turned to my right. A heart monitor. Great. That can’t be good.

I looked down at my wrist and saw one of those plastic wristbands with my name printed on it, like the ones they have at the hospitals.

Oh shit.

“Please don’t tell me.” I quietly said to myself, easing myself down to lie down again.

I heard a door open slowly.

I turned my head and saw Gerard turn and close the door quietly.

He turned around to look at me and stopped.

“Ah great.” Gerard said sarcastically.

“I knew as soon as I’d leave you’d wake up.” Gerard smiled, walking over towards me and planting a kiss on my forehead before sitting down on a chair that was placed beside me.

“You’ve been here the whole time?” I asked in a weak voice.

“Yep. Right by your side.” Gerard smiled, grabbing my hand and entwining his fingers with mine.

“And then the moment I leave is the moment you wake up.” Gerard sighed.

I smiled weakly and closed my eyes.

“Why did you bring me here?” I asked, slightly annoyed.

“Why wouldn’t I? You clearly needed medical attention.” Gerard said.

I snickered.

“You know I don’t like hospitals.” I said.

“I know you don’t, but I wasn’t just going to leave you while you were collapsed on my bedroom floor, basically bleeding to death… I mean, how would that of looked?” Gerard said, making me laugh slightly.

“How long have it been out for?” I asked.

“About a few hours. Maybe more.” Gerard answered.

“How bad was it?” I asked, rubbing my head.

“You looked pretty bad. There was blood everywhere, you actually scared the shit out of me.” Gerard explained.

“And how bad is it now?” I asked, opening my eyes, waiting for answers.

“Mum and Dad were arguing again. I heard a few things brake, and Mum screaming in pain, so I went out to make sure nothing too bad was happening. I might’ve gotten a bit too involved, and Dad pushed me. I fell into the wall and hit my head pretty hard.” I explained, trying to fight back tears.

“That’s how I got this.” I added, pointing to the right side of my head, were I imagined I had red hair from all the blood.

“I got up, and Dad just kinda, turned on me… Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared in my life. The look in his eyes could of killed you a thousand times.” I said, taking a deep breath.

Tears began to fall from my eyes.

“He grabbed a chair leg that he had broken, and just, hit me in the side of the head. And that’s were this came from.” I chocked, placing my fingers gently on the corner of my eye.

I flinched as I touched it.

“Has that got stitches?” I asked quietly.

“Yeah.” Gerard replied, taking my hand away from my head.

“They had to give you about seven.” Gerard added quietly.

Then it hit me.

“Oh my god. I left them there.” I cried loudly.

“Who?!” Gerard asked worriedly.

“Mum and Matt! I just left them there! Who knows what the fuck happened?!” I sobbed loudly.

“What if something happened to them?! It’d be all my fault! Because I was too fucking selfish! I ran away and left them alone with HIM!” I screamed.

“I go out and try to stop them, it’s probably not the best thing to do, but it saves them from killing each other. God knows if I wasn’t there, those two would’ve been dead a long time ago.” I said, feeling the tears coming again.

There was a slight pause.

“So, last night, they were fighting again, and I tried to stop them, Dad pushed me away and I fell and bashed my head against the brick wall.” I paused.

“Then he beat me across the head with a broken chair leg.” I chocked.

I looked down at my hands, ashamed to look up.

I heard footsteps walking over to me.

The room was silent, the only thing to be heard was the rhythm of the beeping heart monitor, the quiet sobs coming from me, and the quiet breathing from everyone else in the room.

“Rachel, I’m so sorry… I, I just don’t know what to say.” Donna stuttered.

“It’s okay, I’m kinda used to it now.” I whispered.

“How long has this been going on for?” Don asked quietly.

“A few months at least, it’s been so long I can’t even remember.” I answered, turning my head to Gerard, who gave me a weak smile.

I looked up and studied her appearance. She had dark skin, and long black hair that she wore in a plait, quite pretty actually.

“How are you feeling?” She asked kindly.

“My head really hurts.” I answered.

“Ah, that’s normal. We’ll get you some pain killers for that…” She said, walking over to the edge of the bed and taking the clipboard.

“Now, what we’ve done is...” The doctor trailed off, walking over to the side of the bed.

Gerard slid his chair back so she could get through.

“That looks like it hurt. How’d it happen?” The doctor asked, holding my head gently to the side and looking at my injuries.

I froze.

What do I tell her?

“I ah, was just mucking around and I slipped and fell on a huge rock.” I lied, smiling weakly.

The doctor laughed weakly and looked at her clipboard.

I grabbed a quick glance at her name badge thingy.

It read: “Dr R Watson.”

“Now, as you might already know, we’ve had to put seven stitches in your right side of your eye. You were quite lucky with that one, if that would’ve been any harder, or any closer, you could’ve gone blind, or worse, dead.” Dr Watson explained in a serious tone.

“You’ve got a very mild concussion, which should hurt for a few days at least, like a massive headache, but it will wear off, and won’t cause any serious damage.” The doctor explained.

“We’ve got you hooked up to a heart monitor just to keep an eye on your heart rate. You did lose a lot of blood, and when this happens, the heart rate tends to speed up dangerously high. So, it’s just for safety reasons I guess.” Dr Watson explained nicely.

She seemed nice; I like her.

“And, that’s about it! We’ll keep you in overnight, maybe until tomorrow, and then your parents can take you home!” She said happily, looking at Gerard’s parents.

“Oh no, we’re not her parents, just, friends.” Donna corrected.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The doctor laughed.

“Will I be able to go to school?” I asked.

Through the corner of my eye, I saw Gerard give me the strangest look I have ever seen him give me.

I snickered and laughed, before controlling myself.

“You should be able to go the day after we release you, but only unless you feel up to it.” Dr Watson answered in a tough voice.

“I’ll be back to check on you later, but now I’ll just quickly go and get your pain killers, and you can rest!” The doctor said, walking out the door.

As soon as the doctor left, Gerard broke the silence.

“Can I ask, why the hell you wanted to know when you can go back to school?” Gerard asked, still looking at me strange.

“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out your not the one to jump at the idea of school.” Gerard added.

“I dunno. I just don’t want to be sitting at home all day, by myself.” I shrugged.

“You could stay with me!” Donna added happily.

“Mum, no one wants to spend all day alone with you.” Gerard said blankly.

“Gerard! Don’t be so mean! I happen to like your mother!” I said sarcastically.

“Thank you Rachel.” Donna said nicely, before narrowing her eyes at Gerard.

I laughed and laid down.

“Aww… I have to spend my day off in a god damn hospital.” I moaned.

“Haha… Oh wait, I have to too.” Gerard teased.

“No you don’t.” I said.

“Yeah.” Gerard said nodding.

“No.” I argued.

“Yeah. I gotta visit my beautiful girlfriend and make sure she’s okay and not lonely.” Gerard said childishly.

“I love you too, but don’t you ever scare me like that again.” Gerard whispered back, running his fingers up and down my back.

Gerard and I talked for a few minutes, before Gerard’s Mum and Dad walked back into the room. They all left, Donna and Gerard promising to come back with Mikey in the morning. Presuming he’d want to come.

So as I lay silent in my small hospital room, I ran through the horrifying events that took place only a few hours ago. I still felt very, very guilty for leaving Mum and Matt. I hoped to god that they were all right. But I couldn’t help but notice how no one came to check on me, even though Gerard’s parents called mine and told them were I was.

It made me sad, to think, my parents, the ones that put me in here, are the ones that don’t even come to see if I am okay. I could be dead for all they know. Some parents…